What is Happiness?
Are you happy? Worry free? Contented and relaxed? What if you could be happy and stress free regardless of what was going on around you? It is possible. Read on to find out how.
People strive for many different things in life: money, a big house, the perfect body, a great relationship, approval - all in the mistaken belief that it will lead to happiness. Sometimes achieving these things can make us happy, but often only for a short time. Sometimes we reach our goals only to find that the reality is not quite as great as we imagined it to be. For others the stress of not achieving our goals leads to worry and unhappiness.
Real true happiness comes from within and does not rely on material things. The following guide will take you through tried and tested methods of bringing more happiness and joy to your life. Make up your mind to be happy- it really is possible whatever your circumstances.
As Susan Polis Schutz says "This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you. Take the power to make your life happy."
Only one person in this world can ever make you depressed, sad, stressed or angry - and that person is YOU! This idea can change your life.
Count Your Blessings
How To Find Happiness
Counting your blessings means taking time to appreciate all that you have. If you make a list of all the things you are grateful for, and you feel the feelings of gratitude as you write them down, you will feel amazing every day.A great idea is to start a gratitude journal - get yourself a blank book and every night before you go to bed write down five things that you are grateful for. Big or small things it doesn't matter - the sun shining, your comfy bed, a smile from a stranger. Getting into the habit of doing this teaches you to look for the good things in life - even on a bad day.
"Inner sunshine warms not only the heart of the owner, but all who come in contact with it" J T Fields
Feed Your Body, Mind and Soul
Secrets of Happiness
Look After Your Body
Eat healthy food Research has now confirmed that certain foods are linked to mood changes. Food that makes you happy includes: bananas, walnuts, dark chocolate, turkey, oranges and chilli peppers.
Remember to drink enough water throughout the day, experts recommend drinking 8 to 10 glasses a day. Hydration is happiness!
Take regular exercise If you feel sad and stressed exercise can really help. Exercise stimulates the brain's pituitary gland to release endorphins - the feel good hormones, generating a feeling of positivity and well being. Taking a brisk walk or even chasing the kids round the park can do wonders for reducing stress.
Look After Your Mind
Expand your mind with reading, listening to music, writing, visiting museums and galleries. Take a class - maybe you could learn a new language, or rediscover something you used to enjoy at school.
Look After Your Soul
Give some time and thought to the activities or things that you need to nourish your soul:
Meditate, listen to soothing music, take a hot bath, read poetry, visit a spiritual place, take a long walk in the woods. Make a commitment to yourself to do at least one thing a week to feed your spirit.
"Circumstances and situations do color life but you have been given the mind to choose what the color shall be" John Homer Miller
Set Yourself Goals
Success and Happiness
Research has shown that setting goals, whether or not you actually achieve them, can significantly increase your happiness. People who are striving to reach a goal have a purpose in life and are happier. Set yourself clear, realistic goals and work towards them.When we set a goal, we have a yardstick for measuring our progress. This helps us to move forward, even when we encounter day to day frustrations. Make a list of what you want to accomplish and write it down, make sure your goals are precise then work out whether the goals are short, medium or long term.
"The surest way to be happy is to cause happiness in others, then to enjoy it oneself."
Alexander McCall Smith
Watch This Video And Get Happy!
A Happiness Boost
"The three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for" Addison
Practice Forgiveness
Free Yourself From Sadness
Letting go of your hurt and anger towards someone increases your self worth, peace and happiness. Practicing forgiveness does not mean forgetting or excusing what has happened, it means decreasing your feelings of anger towards a person and replacing those feelings with more positive thoughts and behaviours. Forgiveness is not easy - it takes commitment, focus and energy, however the benefits are amazing. Holding on to past resentments justs robs you of your joy in life, you are not punishing the person who wronged you, you are only punishing yourself.Remember that your best revenge is living well. Instead of dwelling on hurts and wrong doings from the past look for the beauty, love and kindness in your life now. When feelings of resentment well up inside you practice stress management techniques. This could be as easy as shutting your eyes and taking deep breaths - exhaling all the negative feelings, share your feelings with a friend or go for a walk.
"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be" Abraham Lincoln
Learn How to Deal With Stress
Good For Your Health and Happiness
Stress has a major impact on whether you are happy or not. It's impossible to lead a completely stress free life but learning stress relieving techniques are vital if you want a happy life.Consider keeping a diary for a few weeks to find out your stress triggers. Write down what made you tense, who or what was involved and how you reacted. You can then work out strategies for dealing with these situations - even the act of writing the events down is a great stress buster. Deep breathing and other instant relaxation techniques can all be very useful.
"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions."
Dalai Lama
Get Happy!
Try These To Lift Your Mood
"It takes seventy-two muscles to frown, but only thirteen to smile"
Do Kind Deeds
Practice Acts of Kindness
One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to concentrate on making someone else happy.Taking a few minutes out of your day to help a fellow human being makes you feel better about yourself, helps you connect and improves the life of someone else, making the world a better place. Help others. Keep your commitments. Show people you love how much you care about them.
Lend your ear
Do a chore
Smile and be friendly
Make a donation
Offer to babysit
Let someone pull out in front of you when driving
Try not to criticize
Read to a child
Make a wish come true
Remember: Give more of yourself to others, love more, be kind
Great Stuff To Make You Happy
Full of Happy Tips
What Makes You Happy?
Happiness Tips
If you like this lens please leave a comment here, or let me know any happiness tips that you use. Thanks for dropping by.
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Reply
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poutine
Feb 13, 2010 @ 4:38 pm | delete
- I find that advice the best in your list "Practice Acts of Kindness"
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Relax Music
Music To Heal Your Body And Mind
Relaxation music helps aid peaceful sleep, reduces stress and tension, lifts and inspires you - the perfect prescription for a happy life. Try to make listening to relaxation music a part of your daily routine.Gentle uplifting music - you will feel like you are floating on air.
www.relaxmusic.co.uk
Great Blogs On Being Happy
- Partners main source of happiness around globe, poll says
- And nearly half of all singles yearn above all else to find a sweetheart, with about 45 percent saying finding a partner would bring them the greatest happiness. "What strikes us when we look at the data is that you have this majority of global ...
- Reuters Odd News Summary
- And nearly half of all singles yearn above all else to find a sweetheart, with about 45 percent saying finding a partner would bring them the greatest happiness. ``Malachy'' the Pekingese wins prestigious US dog show NEW YORK (Reuters) - A placid ...
- Formula for happiness
- According to Aaker's findings, people believed in a link between happiness and donating time, and as a result were more inclined to donate their time. This led Aaker to an even broader finding ? the idea that happiness can be a mechanism that fuels ...
by clemency
I am a hypnotherapist and live in the south of England. I have 3 children. I am on a journey to create an abundant life for myself, my family and frie... more »
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